I-160-P Virtual Courses
Students residing within the District who are under the age of 21 and in grades
Kindergarten through twelve may be eligible to enroll in the Missouri Course Access
Program (MOCAP) and other virtual courses at no expense.
Full-Time Virtual Enrollment Process
- The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will adopt a policy
establishing the process by which an eligible student may enroll in a full-time
virtual program of their choice. Starting August 28, 2022, student and parents
will direct their requests for full-time enrollment to the virtual provider.
Part-Time Virtual Enrollment Process - Prior to enrolling in MOCAP, the student must be enrolled full-time in a
public school and reside in Missouri - The enrollment process will be substantially similar to the District’s current
enrollment process for other than virtual courses. - The District’s designee must approve a student’s request to enroll prior to the
student’s enrollment in a MOCAP course. - Students who transfer into the District while enrolled in a MOCAP course or
program will continue to be enrolled in the course or program upon
enrollment in the District. - Transfer students who have previously gained credits through successful
passage of approved courses under MOCAP shall be accepted by the District.
Approval - The District will approve an enrollment request as long as the student meets the
eligibility requirements and enrollment in the requested course or program is the in
student’s best educational interest. The decision will be consistent with the
determination that would have been made for such course request under the process
the District student would enroll in a similar course offered by the District. However,
such determination may consider the student’s prior participation in virtual courses. - Parents, counselors and others may be consulted to determine whether MOCAP or
other virtual courses serve a student’s best educational interest.
• The “best educational interest” determination will be made on a case-by-case
basis and will include facts and circumstances regarding an individual student’s situation. - • Available opportunities for in-person instruction will be considered prior to
- moving a student to virtual courses.
- In general, students with disabilities may enroll in MOCAP and other virtual
courses using the same process applicable to other students. However, for students
with disabilities served under the provisions of Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 (504) (see
District Policy I-125-P), the student’s individual education program (IEP) or 504 team
must consider whether virtual courses or virtual school would serve the student’s best
educational interest, and if so, whether supports and services or accommodations are
necessary in order for the student to participate. - Enrollment in MOCAP courses will not exceed full-time enrollment in the District.
- Information regarding MOCAP and District-sponsored virtual courses will be
included in Parent/Student Handbooks, student registration materials, and on the
District’s website.
Denial, Appeal, Removal - Refusal to grant approval for a student to enroll in MOCAP courses will be for
good cause and a determination that it is in not in the student’s best
educational interest. - Appeals of course denials will be handled in the same manner as denials for
students seeking to enroll in courses offered by the District. - If a student is approved to enroll in a virtual course or program, the District
will monitor a student’s progress. If the course is not meeting the educational
needs of the student enrolled in the course, the District may remove the
student from the course. Recommendations from the course provider and/or
DESE regarding the student’s continued enrollment in the program will be
considered before a student is removed.
Adoption Date(s): July 27, 2023; Updated August 24, 2023
